Can-filling machine.



No. 722,075. PATENTED MAR. 3, 1903. G. H. AYARS.

CAN FILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, 1902.

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No. 722,075. PATENTED MAR. 3, 1903.

G.H.AYARS.

CAN FILLING MACHINE. APPLICATION IILBD MAY 6. 1902.

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CHARLES H. AYARS, OF SALEM, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO AYARS MACHINE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CAN-"FILLING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 722,075, dated March 3, 1903. Application filed May 6, 1902. Serial No. 106,118. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES H. AYARS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salem in the county of Salem and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Can-Filling Machines,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to machines for filling cans with vegetables, such as tomatoes or the like.

One object of the invention is to provide improved means whereby the contents will be forced into the cans, and thereby insure that the cans willeach contain a full quantity and weight.

Another object is to provide an improved construction of juice-pan which will receive and convey the surplus liquid or juice overflowing from the can that is being filled and convey the said overflow to the next empty can into which it will be placed; and another object is to provide improved automatic adjustment of the can-supporting table whereby slight variations in height of the cans will be allowed for.

Another object is to provide means for closing the outlet of the nozzle without using a knife cut-off and also to push all of the contents of the nozzle into the can.

0 With these and other objects in view the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 illustrates a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of same.

5 Fig. 3 is partly a longitudinal section and a side elevation of the machine on an enlarged scale and with the lower portion of the frame broken away. Fig. 4shows a horizontal sectional view of the juice-pan. Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the juice-pan. Fig. 5 illustrates a perspective view of the can-releasing lug. Fig. 6 is a detail View of the plunger cross-head and guide-rods.

In the drawings, A designates the machine framework, above which is mounted an inclined hopper a, adapted to hold the vegetahle or other material that is to be canned and deliver it into a tapered discharge-tube b. A plunger 0 reciprocates in an inclined direction through the bottom of the hopper and forces the material out through said discharge-tube. The rear or upper end of the plunger 0 carries a cross-head d, which pro jects below the plunger, and said cross-head is provided with an elongated slot 01, and two guide-rods e are each secured at one of their ends to said cross-head, and the other ends of said rods project downwardly in an inclined direction and parallel with the plunger, and their lower ends are supported in bearings c and have a sliding movement through the same. An eyeboltf is secured in the crosshead d.

A connecting-rod g extends downwardlyin an inclined direction from the cross-head d, and its upper end projects loosely through the slot d and is provided with a set-screw nut and collar d which take against the lower face of the cross-head, and thereby when the rod 9 is forced upward the plunger 0 will be raised. The lower end of the connectingrod is pivotally secured at g to a cam-frame 9 A collar d is'also on the connecting-rod g near its'upper end, and a spring f has its lower end secured to the collar, while the upper end of said spring is secured to the eyeboltf on the cross-head. The cam-frame g in the present instance is of rectangular form and is pivoted at its lower end to a shaft g A camh, carried by a shaft 7t", has position within the cam-frame g and causes the latter to rock, and thereby impart to the connectingrod g a rocking and at the same time a recip rocating movement. The spring connection f between the connecting-rod and cross-head in making the downstroke prevents injury to the plunger, its operating parts, and the nozzle in case the nozzle should become clogged and prevent the plunger from making its full downstroke. I

A vertically-movable table I, having horizontal guide-rails t', extends longitudinally across the machine beneath the hopper and nozzle, and said table is supported at either end by vertically-movable rods t, the upper 5 ends of which are suitablysecured to the under side of said table. Collars t surround the rods d, and said collars rest on the outer ends of the horizontal leversj j. The two leversjj extend from the center in opposite I00 directions, and the outer ends of said levers work between the collars t referred to, which surround the rods 2'. Each of the levers near their outer ends is fulcrumed or pivoted at k, and the inner ends of said levers are each loosely connected to short links and k which project both above and below said levers, and the lower ends of said links arein turn jointed to the inner end of a lever Z, which extends horizontally beneath the shaft h, and the outer end of said lever is pivoted to a bracket Z. The upper projecting ends of the links it and 70 are each surrounded by a coiled spring 1?, and said springs are confined at their upper ends by a suitable head 1, while the lower ends of said springs rest on the inner-ends of said levers jj'. A cam 'm, carried on the shaft h, in revolving presses the lever Z down, and this movement of said lever causes the collared ends of the levers jj to be raised, and thereby elevate the table I. Should cans of excessive height be placed on the table, the springs on the upper ends of the links 70 and k will compress and prevent damage to either the cans or the machine, which would occur if the connections were all rigid. An inwardly-projecting catch m, Figs. 1, 2, and 5, is secured to the guiderail t' and moves vertically with said rail and table, and this catch takes over the top edge of a can, as seen in Fig. 2, and pulls the can away from the discharge-tube as the table descends.

Secured to the frame of the machine beneath the discharge-tube is a juice-pan n, which has position above the table I, and the bottom n of said pan is slightly inclined and is provided at one end with an opening M, which discharges juice into an empty can, and near the other end with an opening it which latter opening is surrounded with a plurality of openings or slots M. The bottom n of the juice-pan is also provided on its under surface with a packing-ring or gasket 15 around the said slots and also has a notch or groove M, which extends from the outer vertical side wall toward the opening n (Shown by broken lines in Fig. 4.) A plurality of centering-lugs 1* (say four lugs) project downwardly from the bottom of said pan. These take around the top edge of the can. A tube 0 extends in a vertical direction in front of the hopper and receives the tapered end of the discharge-tube b, and said tube passes through the opening n of the juicepan 'n and projects beneath the bottom thereof. Thus the discharge-tube and vertical tube are in confluence. A plunger 0 has position within the vertical tube 0 and is adapted to be moved up and down therein, so as to open and cut off communication between the nozzle b and said tube, and said plunger in its downward movement is adapted to be projected beneath the bottom it of said pan. The upper end of the plunger 0 is jointed to a lever 0 which latter is pivoted to a standard 0 on the frame of the machine. A vertical rod phas its upper end connected to the lever 0 and the lower end of said rod is pivoted to a lever 19, which latter is fulcrumed at p to the frame of the machine, and said lever 19 is provided with a roller 19 which rides in a groove (1 of a cam g, which is secured on the shaft it. As the cam q revolves the lever p will be raised or lowered and the rod p will be reciprocated vertically, thereby imparting a vertical reciprocating movement to the plunger 0 in the tube. A chute 8, extending vertically above the table I and in front of'the juice-pan n, directs the empty cans t onto the table, and suitable mechanism (not shown) pushes the cans along the table from left to right step by step beneath the juice-pan n, where they are filled, and the filled cans t are discharged at the rear end of the table.

The operation is as follows: The empty cans t are fed from the chute sonto the table I and are advanced step by step along the table beneath the juice-pan n by any suitable mechanismsuch, for example, as shown in my Patent No. 652,581, of June 26, 1900. When an empty can has position beneath the opening n of the juice-pan, the table I will be elevated and the lugs r on the bottom of the pan take around the top of the can and center the same with respect to the opening a The table then continues to rise until the can is seated against the bottom it of the pan. This elevation or rising of the table also causes the mouth of the next empty can, which has position beneath the opening 11, of the pan, to take around the down-flange of said opening and also up against the bottom of the pan. Thuswhenthetableiselevated twocans will be seated against the bottom of the pan, one beneath the overflow juice-opening n and the other beneath the filling-opening H The plunger 0 is now elevated to open communication between the discharge-tube b and tube 0, so that a clear passage will be in communication from the hopper to the can. The inclined plunger 0 is now moved downwardly, and thereby forces the contents in the hopper out through the discharge-tube Z), down the tube 0, and into the can. The plunger 0 will then be moved downwardly and close the end of the discharge-tube,thus cutting off the supply, and passes on down through the tube 0 into the can, and thereby forces the contents out of said tube and packs it into the can. In order to better accomplish this packing process, a vent must be provided for the escape of the juice and airin the can as the plunger odescends. This is effected by means of the slots 'n in the pan. As the contents are packed into the can by the plunger 0 the air and juice will escape up through the slots 02 into the pan n, and the juice will flow down the inclined bottom it and through the opening n into the empty can next to be filled. Thus the surplus juice which overflows by the filling of one can is conducted to the next adjoining empty can. It will be noticed that the top of the can that is being filled has position beneath the catch m', which latter when the table is raised takes in the notch or groove n on the bottom of the pan.

When the table is lowered, the filled can is prevented from sticking to the bottom of the pan between the lugs r by the catch m, which pulls the can down from between the lugs.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a can-filling machine the combination of a hopper having a discharge -tube; a plunger movable in said hopper to force the contents through said tube; a juice-pan; a vertical tube exterior to said hopper and in confiuence with said discharge-tube and extending through said juice-pan; a plunger adapted to be reciprocated in said exterior tube and to cut off communication between said exterior tube and said discharge-tube; a cansupporting table beneath said juice-pan and means for raising said table whereby to seat a can up against the juice-pan and around the discharge end of said tube.

2. The combination of a hopper having a discharge-tube; a plunger movable in said hopper; a juice-pan; a vertical tube in confluence with said discharge-tube and extending through said j uice-pan; aplunger adapted to be reciprocated in said vertical tube and to cut off communication between said discharge-tube and vertical tube; a can-supporting table beneath said juice-pan; means for raising said table whereby to seat a can up against the juice-pan and, around the discharge end of said vertical tube; and a catch device carried by the table for engaging a can whereby to pull the latter away from said pan when the table is lowered.

3. In a can-filling machine the combination of a hopper having a discharge-tube projecting in an inclined direction; a plunger reciprocatingin an inclined direction through said hopper to force the contents of the hopper down said inclined dischargetube; a vertical tube on the exteriorof the hopper and extending across the mouth of said discharge-tube and in communication with thelatter; ajuicepan at the lower end of said exterior tube, and a plunger adapted to be reciprocated in said exterior tube to cut ofi communication between the latter and the discharge-tube of the hopper, said plunger also adapted to project from said exterior tube below the juicepan.

4. In a can-filling machine the combination of a filling-tube; a juice-pan at the lower end of said tube said pan being provided in its bottom with a groove; a can-supporting table beneath said juice-pan; means forraising and lowering said table and a catch device supported above said table and adapted to take in the groove in the bottom of said pan when the table is raised and to pull the can from the juice-pan when the table is lowered.

5. In a can-filling machine the combination of a hopper havinga discharge-tube; a plunger movable in saidhopper; to force the contents through said discharge-tube; a tube on the exterior of said hopper and in confluence with said discharge-tube; a juicepan at the lower end of said exterior tube; said pan having on its bottom a plurality of guide-lugs; a plunger in said tube to control the passage between the discharge-tube and said exterior tube; a can-supporting table beneath said juice-pan and means for raising said table whereby to seat the can to be filled against said pan between said guide-lugs.

6. In a can-filling machine the combination of a hopper; a plunger movable in said hopper; a table beneath said hopper; a cam-operated lever beneath said table; a pair of levers between said cam-lever and said table; means for yieldingly connecting said cam-le- Vver to one end of each of said pair of levers and means connecting the other ends of said pair of levers to said table.

'7. In a can-filling machine the combination of a hopper; a plunger movable in said hopper; a table beneath said hopper; a cam-operated lever beneath said table; two pivoted levers between said cam-lever and said table; links connected yieldingly by one end to the inner ends of said pivoted levers and the other ends of said links being connected to said cam-operated lever and means connecting the outer ends of said two pivoted levers with the table.

8. In a can-filling machine the combination of a hopper having a discharge-tube; a plunger movable in said hopper; a can-supporting table beneath said discharge-tube; means for raising and lowering said table whereby a can on the table to be filled will seat up around the discharge-tube, and a verticallymovable catch device adapted to engage the top of the filled can whereby to pull the latter away from said discharge-tube when the table is lowered.

9. In a can-filling machine the combination of a hopper having a discharge-tube; a plunger movable in said hopper; a can-supporting table beneath said discharge-tube and having a vertical movement with respect thereto; and a catch device carried by and movable v with said table for engaging the top of a filled can whereby to pull the latter away from said discharge-tube as the table descends.

10. In a can-filling machine the combination ble whereby when the table is lowered the catch device will positively withdraw the can from said centering-lugs.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES H. AYARS.

Witnesses:

DORM. P. PERRIMAN, WALTER P. BALLINGER. 

